Primeval - Nick's choice
by Jennylewis
Summary: With Claudia returning, nick is faced with the hardest decision of his life, his love for Jenny... Or his love for Claudia. A short story by - some chick with a keyboard.


The hallway looked miles long as Jenny looked at it now. Her hands dripping blood, eyes full of tears, and heart shattered like broken glass in her chest cavity. She was broken, even though she didn't know it yet. The medical bay seemed to be light years away instead of just doors. She threw herself to the wall as to hold herself up as she was crumbling down. But it was too late, she collapsed and just as her eye lids began to fall, she heard it.

Beep. Her fingers moved slowly, just as she wanted them too. Beep. She could feel her hair as it was being stroked from her face. Beep. Her eyelids flickered, trying with all their might to open. Beep. Which is exactly what she was praying for. Beep. She heard his voice. Beep. The sensation was much more powerful now. Beep. She could feel herself going again. Beep. She tried so hard to fight it but nothing she did was working. Beep. "Nnn..." She tried. Beep. "Nnn..." It wasn't working. Beep. "Jenny! Jenny can you hear me?" Beep. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Beep. "SSS... Ssavve...mmme..." She stuttered. Beep. Leaving just as swiftly as she arrived.

"Nick, you've been here for hours, I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you went home for some sleep. You look utterly exhausted." Conner said, putting a sympathetic hand on Nick's shoulder.

"I already told you Conner. I'm not leaving here without her." Nick brushed Conner's hand off of his shoulder, holding back a yawn. "I can't." Nick squeezed Jenny's hand and lightly rubbed the top of it with his thumb. "What if this was Abby? Or Toby? You guys wouldn't leave Toby's side now would you!" Nick challenged, feeling a little guilty after seeing Conner's expression.

"Yeah but Abby's my wife and Toby's my daughter. That's only natural. You and jenny, I mean sure you two are perfect, but are you even officially together?" Nick stared at Conner angrily.

"Conner. Go away."

"Nick. I'm only trying to..."

"NOW!" His Scottish accent thick.

Minutes felt like years once Conner left Nick to be with Jenny. Just then, a scream of excitement escaped through the door. Nick buried his head in his hands and angrily rubbed his eyes, slowly rising. He opened the door.

"OH MY GOSH JENNY! I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE ALRIGHT!" Sarah screamed.

Nick stared down the hallway at the women Sarah was hugging. Her eyes opened and met his. He found himself lost in her eyes, as though it was Jenny. But her amber hair bounced off her pink blouse as she started towards him smiling, "I can't believe it's you." She tilted her head slightly. "What happened in the anomaly?" She smirked.

She walked up to him and swung her arms passionately around his neck. "I really missed you."

Sarah stared at them with a confused look on her face, starting towards them just as Claudia pulled away. "By the way Jenny, what happened to your hair?"

"Jenny..? My hair..?" She replied.

"Sarah, meet Claudia." Nick said, Sarah's eyes widened with confusion.

"Nick, I don't understand..." Sarah replied.

"Pleased to meet you." Claudia smiled. "I wasn't sure if you had me confused or if you just found joy in hugging complete strangers."

The awkward tension was slightly broken until Claudia's fingers enclosed between Nick's. He tried to swallow the lump of cement that had formed in his throat, but it wasn't budging. Nick loosened his grip and slipped into the hospital room beside them.

Jenny laid, unmoved. He walked over and was engulfed but the sound of beeps. He kissed her cheek. 'I wish you were here right now.' He thought to himself. In as much shock as he was, he wasn't sure if this was real or if he was in some kind of strange dream. One in which he'd wake up to the beautiful Jenny snuggled up on his bare chest, wrapped tightly in his blanket, her arms wrapped around him, making him feel on top of the world, the way only Claudia was able to do, that is, until Jenny came along. What was he to do?

He kissed her cheek again. "Excuse me sir," the nurse said, with an annoyed tone of voice. "No kissing the patients, you may cause a spread of germs." Nick signed and rejoined Claudia in the hallway. Sarah was gone.

"Hey! How about lunch?" Claudia smiled. "My treat." She added.

"I can't leave Jenny. Not for sleep. Not for Conner. Not even for you." Claudia's smile quickly vanished.

"But Nick... You realize she wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me right..? I'm the reason she's here. She's me. I'm her." Nick shook his head, trying to understand.

"What are you talking about... I was expecting a 'who's Jenny..?' Not a 'I'm her she's me' you're making no sense at all Claudia."

"I'm making perfect sense. You're just not understanding it." She replied, crossing her arms.

"We'll then explain it to me!" He yelled, flinging his arms into the air out of frustration.

"No." She replied.

"Do you know who Jenny is, Claudia..?" Claudia broke eye contact and looked at the floor. "Claudia!" He shouted.

"I know more than you think."

Just then, a loud screeching noise came from the loud speaker, "Can Nick Cutter, please report to room 347." His hearted pounded as he turned to her door and raced in, only one thing on his mind, Jenny.

She blinked a few times as Nick rushed to her side. "Hi." She mumbled.

He grabbed both her hands in his, "I wanted to be here when you woke up. I've been here sense you got here. I'm sorry I left." She tried to smile but her weak muscles collapsed, causing her to look my crumbled then usual. He looked around cautiously before kissing her cheek. "If there's anything you need, do feel free to ask, okay?" He added, just as Jenny's eyelids drifted off to sleep.

Nick held Jenny as close to him as possible as Claudia appeared in the doorway, peering around the corner curiously.

Claudia cleared her throat. "Nick, can I see you for a second?"

"Go away Claudia." Nick said, sighing.

"Nick, if you don't leave her, she'll die." Claudia said seriously.

"Claudia you aren't worth the skin you're standing in." He shook his head and lightly squeezed Jenny's hands, giving them a light kiss.

"Nick. I know more than you give me credit for." She smiled sinisterly. "Much, much more." She said, walking away from the door.

A few paces down the hallway, Nick grabbed Claudia by the shoulder, "Tell me everything."

"So Nick, how's life?" Claudia asked, resting her chin on her hand, smiling.

"Claudia cut the crap. What's wrong with Jenny?" Nick replied.

"Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick." Claudia smirked. "I can't very well just go around handing out information to the first guy who asks for it, now can I?"

"What do you want Claudia?" Nick said, placing his aching head on his palm.

"Simple." She said, a slight laugh to her tone, "I want you. If you want Jenny's information, I want a date. A real date, with you."

"No." He replied. Slamming his fist against the wall.

"Hmm, that's funny, I must have hit my head or something? Do you feel something? It seems my memories seem to be fading. Who are you again..?" Her smile grew wider.

"You are so screwed up. You know that?" His hands formed tighter fists than before, so tight in fact that it his knuckles became paper white.

"I love it when you talk dirty." She laughed, whisking his heart to bits. "So, what do you say?"

"Let's get this over with." He replied, shamefully.

"Jenny, I'll be back as soon as I can. I just have to take care of something first." Nick stroked Jenny's cheek.

"I'll be fine." She smiled.

"I know." He replied.

"I have a surprise for you." Claudia smiled excitedly.

"Oh boy." Nick replied, showing very little enthusiasm. "Can't this just be over now? What kind of maniac would want to go on a date with someone who clearly would rather be rolling in a lava pit than on a date with crazy women?!"

"Wow, you have such a way with feelings." Claudia smirked. "You obviously don't realize that if this date isn't like a real date, I won't tell you. So you best cheer up chum. Or all of this will be for nothing."

Nick could recognize this place anywhere. The hotel Eddington off the Forest of Dean. Nick was silent. He stalked over to the bar stools and abruptly sat down. "Excuse me." She said placing her hand lightly on his shoulder, she leaned in and kissed him. "Don't panic, I just told that slim ball over there you were my boyfriend, one more pickup line and I was going to have kill him." Nick stared at her blanky. Her smile faded, "this is the part where you say, 'well, I'm very glad I was here to help.'"

"So, what's next on the list of, 'how to ruin Nick Cutters life'?" He replied, placing his knuckle under his cheek.

"Apparently not, 'tell Cutter everything about Jenny.'" She teased.

Nick quickly leaned in and wrapped his arm around Claudia's neck. He pulled her in, touching her forehead to his own. "Who likes to play by the rules?" He whispered, kissing her passionately. He leaned in to her while he kissed her, dipping her lower and lower with each gentle touch of passion. He pulled back and slowly opened his eyes. "Almost as great as when I told you I'd see you later, right?" She giggled lightly.

She smiled at him, "I really did miss you Cutter." He turned away.

"I missed you too."

"Part of my memory belongs to Jenny. I see things... I feel things... That are hers, but a part of me believes there mine," Claudia explained, twiddling her thumbs rapidly. "When she offered you that drink, and you accepted it, and the ADD interrupted you... That's when I knew... I had to come out. I had to find a way out. So I did. I had to be with you. I couldn't lose you so easily. I loved you first."

Nick returned to the hospital to find Jenny's room empty. His heart sank. While he was off with Claudia, it seems Jenny had checked out. He immediately thought the worse, tears rose up in his eyes. He had to find her, she wasn't gone, she couldn't be. Claudia peeked around the corner to find nick sitting in Jenny's bed, crying. With a broken voice, she said, "Nick, why don't we try her house?" She gave a half smile, for as much as it hurt her to see Nick with Jenny, the alternative of herself, it pained her even worse to see him this upset. Her heart sank.

Nick and Claudia pulled into Jenny's driveway, and together they walked up to her front door. Once Jenny finally opened the door, she notice something strongly familiar about Claudia. Her face.

Claudia and Jenny stared into each other's eyes, neither one braking contact. They both slowly raised a hand, Jenny began to blur, like attached to a sound wave. Nick covered his shocked face. Jenny was disappearing. "NO!" Nick screamed, but it was too late.

Claudia and Jenny's fingers met first and slowly their hands joined until the bottom on the palm, just then, Jenny began to shake, Nick's face was drenched with tears! "No..." He barely managed. Jenny fell to the ground, blurred and disoriented. Claudia was checking herself up and down, she was intact. Nick rushed to Jenny's side.

Nick caressed Jenny's hand, "I do love you, Jenny Lewis." Nick said, kissing her cheek. "You are strong." Jenny smiled and her body began to flash.

"Thank you, for everything." She blew a kiss just as she disappeared. Nick sat there for a second, his head tucked into his knees. He sat in silence. After a few minutes went by, he slowly put his head up, remembering that he hadn't made this venture by himself, and there she was, Claudia brown, laying on the floor, face pale, and drenched from top to bottom in sweat.

"She says she loves you too." Claudia murmured.


End file.
